Invisible Strings (An ADD Client Teaches Me a Lesson)

09.30.10

“Celia”, a client with ADD, recently explained how it feels to her to have someone else move her things around.  She said its like there is an invisible string from her brain to each of her possessions. When things are where she put them, when she knows they are, the strings all lie quietly. When someone attempts to move things without her permission or worse, without her knowledge, the strings get pulled tight and can snap. “It’s as if someone is pulling your hair out”, she said.  If she understands where a thing is being put, the strings will stretch to allow it. It doesn’t matter if she moves it her herself, or the organizer moves it. The important thing is that it is done with her knowledge and permission.  Then there is no pain. I told her that years ago, when I was less experienced, I would sometimes get carried away with my own ideas of where things should go. I saw that look of pain on my ADD clients’ faces- as if I was pulling their hair out. They taught me to go slow, and keep paying atention to the effect of moving all this stuff around. I am now careful not to pull anyone’s hair. Many thanks to all my ADD cleints for helping me learn, and to Celia for expressing it so well.